BY PHILLIP PINA
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[]](/editions/1998/09/20/oktober_200x129.jpg)
Eric Stephens of Greensburg, Ind. and Mary Barga of Greenville, Ohio, do the chicken dance without spilling their beer Saturday.
(Jeff Swinger photo)
| ZOOM |
|
Forget the "oompah," Oktoberfest Zinzinnati got started Saturday with a big "buzz."
Along with the brats and beer, mainstays at Cincinnati's annual celebration of its German heritage, was the humming of about 25,000 kazoos. It was an attempt by festival planners to get Oktoberfest back into the record books.
Cued by Rick Hubbard, "The King of Kazoo," the festival crowd overflowing Fountain Square played their kazoos along with famed trumpeter Al Hirt. A loud buzz spread through downtown.
"It was goose bump city," said the appropriately nicknamed Chamber of Commerce spokesman Raymond "Buz" Buse III. "This is what makes Oktoberfest special."
Oktoberfest was in the Guinness Book of Records for most of the '90s for the world's largest chicken dance, with 48,000 clucking people. It got bumped in the '98 edition when 72,000 danced at the Canfield Fair in Canfield, Ohio.
Planners booked Mr. Hubbard to come in and lead The World's Largest Kazoo Band, a group of revelers they hope will beat out the current record of around 20,000.
Warm temperatures brought out a large crowd on Saturday. Planners hope for more good weather today.
"It's good food, lots of fun and tradition," said Trish Rice of Evanston. She joined a group of friends on Fountain Square to watch Al Hirt and play a little kazoo.
"This is an incredible festival," said Mr. Hubbard, who is from Hilton Head, S.C. He was impressed by all the people and the good fun.
If you missed the kazoo performance, there will be a smaller, repeat show today at 6 p.m.
OKTOBERFEST GUIDE
![[]](/editions/1998/09/20/oktober_600x386.jpg)